Name: Brucite (circa 1800s)
Brand: The Arkenstone
Price: 9500 USD
Availability: InStock

Brucite (circa 1800s)

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This is an absolutely superb, important old brucite specimen from this classic locality which has produced the best ever found in the U.S (and at one time, best in world). It is an exceptional three-dimensional piece with translucent, pseudohexagonal (it is trigonal) stacked and staggered tabular crystals in a large, rather thick, almost elegantly arranged aggregate of stacked crystals. Individual crystals are large, to two inches across; and are a translucent gray-off-white color with an almost pearly luster. This one is particularly impressive not only because of the size of the crystals and that it has no damage, but for the overall geometry. The overall size of the specimen is significant as well, making for a striking piece. This large cluster has only minor peripheral contacting on one side. Because of the widely known association between this classic locality and noted collector William Jefferis, who was the major patron of the mine and a collector of this material in the mid to late 1800's, these specimens often are dear to collectors of antique U.S. minerals and localities. This is almost certainly one of the specimens from that heyday in the mid-1800s, late 1800s at most recent. One would expect to see a piece like this only in the Smithsonian or the Carnegie Museum, and indeed it is that level of play. When I was younger, more elder collectors appreciated these things and I saw prices paid of 10-25k for Pennsylvania bruceites, back in the 80s and 90s. They are not as well appreciated now, sadly; but remain important American and worldwide classics. This deposit at Texas, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is the oldest and most famous Brucite locality in the United States. From the Mike Scott collection: Michael "Scotty" Scott (1945-2025) was an American entrepreneur who was the first CEO of Apple Computer from February 1977 to March 1981. We are truly honored to release a small selection of minerals from the estate of our friend and customer. He was a gem collector, science supporter, donor, and mineral collector. The minerals lavinskyite and scottyite were first found on the same specimen, and after lavinskyite was identified, scottyite was then named in his honor for his long-term contributions to research and science through the same laboratory that we also helped support (the NASA-affiliated Bob Downs lab and the systematic mineralogy project, RRUFF, at the University of Arizona). It was a great privilege to receive a limited amount of minerals from his estate to return back to the mineral collecting community. Mike was a voracious collector of and museum exhibitor of gemstones; but he also built a companion collection of interesting and rare mineral specimens for his own enjoyment, although they were seldom exhibited outside his home.